Cases of abused children falling victim again rise over 5 yrs in S. Korea

SEOUL, Oct. 5 (Yonhap) � The number of child reabuse cases in South Korea more than doubled over the past five years, highlighting the country's need to strengthen the protection of victimized children, an opposition party lawmaker said Friday, citing government data.

A child reabuse case refers to a child being hurt again by the same perpetrator over a five-year period following the initial case of abuse.

According to data submitted to Rep. Kim Kwang-soo of the Party for Democracy and Peace by the welfare ministry, the number of child reabuse cases rose to 1,983 in 2017 from 980 in 2013, 1,027 in 2014, 1,240 in 2015 and 1,591 in 2016.

More than 90 percent of child reabuse cases, or 6225 out of the total 6,821 cases, were committed by the child's parents, followed by their kin with 244 cases, their parents' partners with 104 cases and people at child welfare facilities with 101 percent.

By age bracket, children aged 7 through 12 suffered the lion's share of child reabuse cases with 45.7 percent, trailed by those aged 13 through 17 with 32.4 percent and those aged 1 through 6 with 21.9 percent.

Kim said the rise in child reabuse cases indicates that the authorities have not taken sufficient follow-up measures for those victims, and called for the government to come up with more effective measures to prevent child reabuse cases.

Cases of abused children falling victim again rise over 5 yrs in S. Korea

SEOUL, Oct. 5 (Yonhap) � The number of child reabuse cases in South Korea more than doubled over the past five years, highlighting the country's need to strengthen the protection of victimized children, an opposition party lawmaker said Friday, citing government data.

A child reabuse case refers to a child being hurt again by the same perpetrator over a five-year period following the initial case of abuse.

According to data submitted to Rep. Kim Kwang-soo of the Party for Democracy and Peace by the welfare ministry, the number of child reabuse cases rose to 1,983 in 2017 from 980 in 2013, 1,027 in 2014, 1,240 in 2015 and 1,591 in 2016.

More than 90 percent of child reabuse cases, or 6225 out of the total 6,821 cases, were committed by the child's parents, followed by their kin with 244 cases, their parents' partners with 104 cases and people at child welfare facilities with 101 percent.

By age bracket, children aged 7 through 12 suffered the lion's share of child reabuse cases with 45.7 percent, trailed by those aged 13 through 17 with 32.4 percent and those aged 1 through 6 with 21.9 percent.

Kim said the rise in child reabuse cases indicates that the authorities have not taken sufficient follow-up measures for those victims, and called for the government to come up with more effective measures to prevent child reabuse cases.